Question

Topic: Strategy

How To Market A Target Market Questionnaire

Posted by Anonymous on 6/26/2009 at 6:46 AM ET 125 Points
Hello,

I'm working on starting my business and trying to make sure that the services I want to offer are the services customers want, to get a better idea of my potential target market. My business coach says I need to get 100 questionnaires answered from people in my target market, but she hasn't helped generate any ideas as to how to get those questionnaires answered. I'm really struggling as to how to find/how to advertise to get potential clients. I thought about advertising on craigslist. I also thought about offering a free one hour workshop and have them fill out the questionnaire at the end (I tried the latter, but only one person showed up-it was at a gym and they only advertised within their gym). My business is an integrative mindbody wellness practice (aka: stress management) that has a psychologist as part of the team. My questions are: 1. How do market my survey to maximize the number of potential clients?; 2. Where to advertise to find them?; and 3. How long should the questionnaire be?

Thanking everyone in advance.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Markitek on 6/26/2009 at 12:45 PM Member
    First of all, you've posted this question four times so you might want to pull the other three dwwn.

    Honestly, I'd be annoyed if an advisor of mine gave me that advice, without direction on how to make it happen.

    Is a questionnaire useful for you in the first place? I'm not sure. You're operating in a very narrow universe: people who get value out of aromatherapy and foot massages and, let's not forget, Native American Crystal Balancing. You're unlikely to find your marketplace in a random sampling (e.g., at a mall).

    Not only that, but you really need to find people that are local to you and likely to use your services. If you're in Peoria your offering will be different than if you're in Beverly Hills or Amsterdam.

    There are other places you can find what you're looking for.

    Look at what other "mindbody wellness" folks are offering That is just in passing a well used term--Blue Shield fo California, just for instance, devotes a whole web page to the concept. "Stress management" gives you a broader footprint though.

    Identify sites that look like they're actually doing some business. Contact them. As long as they're not local to you, they're not competitors. Ask them what their customers want. Ask them how they reach those customers.

    Find stores (L'Occitane? Bare Escentuals?) where people whose customer profile aligns with yours and ask them for their insight.

    The psychologist on the team may be able to help as well.

    Back to the survey. You'll also want to offer an incentive for the response. A discounted or free session of wellness therapy of their choice for instance. You'll also want to make sure you have something to leave behind after people complete the questionnaire.

    I wouldn't worry about the number of questions as much as time involved: try to get through the survey in a minute or so.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 6/26/2009 at 2:14 PM Accepted
    I question the value of a business coach who comes up with an idea and no plan to implement it.

    Get your surveys done exactly as you'll target the potential clients. That way the market research you are doing will lead you to your first customers.

    I also like Phil's idea of what he calls "mall stops". I was getting gas recently and a guy came up and asked me (and everyone at the pump) he's considering putting in a coffee shop in the next building. If he did would I frequent it? Short and simple-- and I might not have immediatly noticed the shop when it opened otherwise.
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